A/N: Well, upon seeing that RC updated his fic, I guess I decided to write this chapter. Not to mention I don't have to work today. Hahaha! This is the first real weekend that I've had in a long time. And you all should be honored I spent it writing this for you! Ok, not really. I've been overdue anyway.

Chapter 21: Time for Vengeance

Smoldering ash and smoke rose from the rubble. Eyes half-open, Dice surveyed the area. The destruction, gore, and especially the chaos was exactly the same as those battlegrounds she dwelled in past experiences. Exactly the same. Sighing, the creature scraped her gloved hand across an erect piece of wreckage while trudging to the center of the destroyed base.

Was this all she knew? To fight? To destroy? It certainly appeared so. Searching deep in her memories, Dice failed to recall the appearance or even the fragrance of a flower. The beauty of a sunset or the lit painted scene of a city's skyline vanished from her mind, not that the warrior remembered enjoying such sights.

A bitter smile crawled onto her face. "This is what I'm meant for. To be a faithful servant of a megalomaniac. Nothing more. Why fight this anymore; I can't even enjoy the freedom I have at this moment. I'm wasting it. For all I know, Eggman could be right behind me for new orders and missions."

And speak of the devil. "More like your early demise," laughed the mentioned scientist. Before Dice could contemplate or even process the words, the warrior was pinned to the jagged and erect wreckage with what felt like a metal rod. Only after coughing up blood did she notice the surging pain from her shoulder and chest.

The light around her was swirling in a torrent of color, blurring the red and blue silhouette before her. Blinking rapidly, Dice failed to escape the intoxicating dizziness clouding her head. A dull crimson dulled the edges of her vision as the warrior suddenly understood the depths of her situation.

"E-Eggman…" She hissed, her eyes transforming instinctively to a scarlet blood red. Upon doing so, her senses grew more acute, allowing her to gaze down at her shoulder. A thick transparent stick or pole pinned her tightly to the wreckage as her own blood dripped onto the ground, which Dice was currently suspended from. Her toes floated inches from the accursed earth, so close that it was mocking her. Allowing her eyes to follow the spike, looking surprisingly similar to water, Dice at last came across Robotnik's ominous countenance.

Gasping inaudibly, Dice whimpered, "Your arm! But how-how'd you..?"

Grinning menacingly, he applied more pressure upon the transparent substance, which so happened to be his arm. It stretched across several feet of air and transformed into a sharp point, now penetrating Dice's skin. Laughter came over him unexpectedly, as his other arm suddenly took the same shape. Zipping through the air, it snatched Dice's chaos blade from its sheath and returned to Robotnik's side.

"I have harnessed your powers."

Wincing at the sting of her growing wound, Dice found it incredibly difficult to hear the words escaping his lips. Her head, despite suddenly feeling as heavy as many pounds of armor, slowly raised eyelevel to him. "But, I can't d-do that."

"Of course not." He snarled wickedly, strolling towards her. As he walked, sprouts of blackened leaves and darkness spread from his feet in waves. "I had to tap into Chaos' to obtain yours. He merely protects the chaos emerald while you…" He trailed off, possibly re-thinking how many details he should disclose. Closing his eyes and releasing a small chuckle, he continued, "It won't matter since you'll die soon. All you need to know is that your powers are now mine, and I intend to rebuild the universe which you destroyed in my likeness."

Frustration and confusion welled up within the warrior. Even with her conflicting personalities battling each other within her body, both agreed Robotnik could not steal her strength. With fire raging in her eyes, Dice sneered in a tone shrill enough to make the strongest man shudder, "Give my blade back!"

Now it appeared laughter and hysteria clutched Robotnik harder than any other emotion. His sickening voice reverberated across the wreckage which was once his laboratory. Twisting his arm clockwise, he deepened her wound. "I need that blade to claim what is mine. Can you not see my new powers? What I can create? I can create a living world of darkness, instead of your death and destruction. You have done your job, and now I can fulfill mine."

The pain was smoldering her, and Dice discovered it increasingly impossible to see his wicked face. Despite the relief of his horrid visage, she knew this meant her life was draining away. That was what she wanted…was it not? However, as her mind considered the question in a panicked fashion, Dice finally managed to smile.

No. She did not want to die this way. Not now; not here. Her eyes dulling, the warrior understood all too well the difference between to want, and to need. She wanted to live, but did not need to so considering her lack of purpose. Sonic would stop Robotnik; her existence only hindered the success of everyone else.

"Sonic will stop you," she whispered so softly the evil man failed to hear her. Succumbing to the inevitable, she allowed the darkness to consume her. Everything was fading…

At last releasing its clutches from Dice, Robotnik's arm returned to its previous form, and the man indifferently watched the warrior collapse onto the floor. Wickedly grinning, he gazed at the wonders of his new weapon and then retreated from the scene.

"Now to test this power on the fools who actually thought they had survived on their own strength. But no, I ordered them to stay alive for this moment. To let them see the horrors of my power. And once this field test is complete, on to the rest of my enslaved lands…"

"Why would he be at the old base?" pondered Sonic, rhetorically, knowing fully well that none of his allies could guess the answer. Looking at each other, all five of the creatures remained silent. This was it. Time to seek revenge. Time to rectify all the evils which had plagued this world for over a decade.

"What are we waiting for?" Interrupted Shadow, snatching the chaos emerald from the computer. "Dice is over there. And so is Robotnik! Stop wasting time…."

Nodding his head, Knuckles placed his over-sized glove onto the emerald. Sonic immediately followed suit. "Time to be a team again guys!"

Genuinely smiling, Amy touched the pile of hands, weighted down by the guns and ammo wrapped around her belt. "Time to reclaim our lives."

The four companions gazed at Tails, smiling earnestly. He frowned for several moments but at last lightly placed his hand on top of everyone else's. "Whatever."

"Chaos Control!"

A/N: Sorry guys, I thought this chapter would be much longer. Oh well. It's short and sweet.